Latest News
Banks agrees wind farm funding
A SIX-TURBINE wind farm will be up and running in Yorkshire by the end of next year after Banks Renewables confirmed it had secured £21.9m in funding.
The 376th Cutlers’ Feast
LORD Heseltine and Angela Knight will be among the guest at the Cutlers’ Company’s 376th annual Feast which takes place on Thursday, May 17.
Engineers of the future learn from DavyMarkham
SOUTH Yorkshire school children have been learning from heavy engineering experts DavyMarkham in an event which taps into the government’s apprenticeships initiative.
Sheffield man of steel wins gold
THE chief executive of Sheffield Forgemasters International has been awarded a gold medal for his outstanding services to the steel industry.
Company insolvencies on the rise
THE number of companies declared insolvent in the UK increased by more than 4 per cent, according to the latest figures.
China visit brings trade hope
THE mayor of the Chinese city of Chengdu visited Sheffield Forgemasters as part of a visit designed to promote better economic links with South Yorkshire.
Rolls-Royce drives ahead with deal at AMP
AROUND 32 acres of land have been sold to Rolls-Royce at the Advanced Manufacturing Park in an £11m deal.
The Cutlers’ Company curriculum launch
SCHOOLS in the north of Sheffield have been selected to take part in the Cutlers’ Company’s Curriculum project which begins this summer.
Waverley groundworks pave way for enterprise
THE Yorkshire-based property company Harworth Estates has begun building an access road and key infrastructure to the enterprise zone site at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Waverley.
International aerospace manufacturer approves Tata Steel’s quality controls
TATA Steel has secured an important new approval for the laboratory testing procedures at its Speciality Steels business in South Yorkshire, UK from leading aircraft engine manufacturer General Electric (GE) Aviation.
Legal workshops for manufacturers
Thursday 17 May 2012
Hill Dickinson LLP, The Balance,
Pinfold Street, Sheffield, S1 2GU
Yorkshire businesses honoured in Queen's Awards
TWENTY-one businesses in Yorkshire have been named as winners of the Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2011, one of the most prestigious corporate awards for British companies.
LEP vows to confront 'grim north' view
CHALLENGING perceptions of the North as a "desolate place" is one of the top priorities for the woman charged with attracting new companies to South Yorkshire.
Manufacturer is 'best of British'
A YORKSHIRE company will feature in a showcase of the best of British manufacturing this summer.
Innovation could boost troop protection
A NEW ceramic material that could be used for body armour has been developed by a Yorkshire university spin-out.
Green light for ITM
THE Sheffield-based company ITM Power has been given approval from regulators to sell its hydrogen-from-water product in Germany.
LEPs join forces for US taskforce
SHEFFIELD and Leeds city region's Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) are combining forces to attract healthcare investments and trade opportunities across their regional boundaries.
Queen’s Award in anniversary year
William Beckett plastics have done it again!
Foreign Office Minister visits local success story
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister of State Jeremy Browne MP visited heavy engineering specialist DavyMarkham to learn about its international success.
Amey wins £2bn Sheffield highways contract
AMEY has been named preferred bidder by Sheffield City Council for a £2bn highways maintenance project in the city. The public services provider, which beat Carillion to the contract, said the work would create 170 extra jobs.
Yorkshire firm leads energy research
ITM Power is to lead a project looking at how hydrogen generated using renewable energy could be injected into the UK gas network.
LEP backs airport link
THE new airport link road, designed to attract investment to South Yorkshire, has secured £2m in new funding.
LEP confirms £3m funding for Bus Rapid Transport
THE Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) board has approved funding from its Growing Places Fund for a Sheffield and Rotherham Bus Rapid Transit scheme.
Board rejig at Newburgh Engineering
NEWBURGH Engineering has unveiled a new board of directors following the retirement of chairman Tony Middleton.
Anti-high speed rail group on track for legal challenge
A GROUP campaigning against the HS2 high-speed rail project between is to push ahead with court action to try to halt the £32bn scheme.
SFI fabricating new opportunities
Forgemasters’ welding capabilities are helping to create new markets by expanding its portfolio to fabricate large components for the burgeoning offshore oil and gas sector.
Fusion on target
THE University IP commercialisation company Fusion IP expects to hits its profit targets for the year despite posting a first-half loss. During the period, Fusion netted £4m from its first major portfolio exit.
Budget at a Glance
Economy
Borrowing falls and growth increases. Government borrowing £1bn lower than expected, this year at £126bn and £120bn the year after, and £21bn by 2016/17, the structural deficit eliminated.
Office for Budget Responsibility revises UK growth forecast for 2012 to 0.8% - from 0.7%.
Budget: Exports key for UK competitiveness
CHANCELLOR George Osborne announced targets to double the UK's exports over the next decade.
Confident B Braun Medical returns to profit
B BRAUN Medical has returned to profit after one-off charges led to a multimillion-pound loss in 2010.
Budget 2012: Osborne answers business call for rail investment
CHANCELLOR George Osborne has promised £130m to upgrade the Northern rail network to help kickstart the regional economy.
“Dark, satanic" image is changing say manufacturers
THE image of manufacturing in Yorkshire as something carried out in "dark, satanic mills" is beginning to change, according to panellists at Insider's latest breakfast debate.
Sheffield EZ gets Treasury green light
SHEFFIELD City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has finalised details of its enterprise zone following extensive talks with the Treasury.
Budget: Growing Places millions for LEPs
LOCAL Enterprise Partnerships in Yorkshire have been promised an extra £71m to unlock development in the region.
R3 Products signs multimillion-pound export deal
R3 PRODUCTS, a Sheffield-based green manufacturer chaired by former DavyMarkham boss Kevin Parkin, has agreed a Middle East export deal.
Green energy plant seeks Sheffield approval
A NEWLY-formed green energy company is proposing to build a £20m combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Sheffield.
Transformation underway to create education centre
SHEFFIELD University Technical College will be built on the site of a car park on Shoreham Street, close to Sheffield Station.
PJD Group eyes Yorkshire deals
THE mechanical engineering business, the PJD Group, is targeting acquisitions in Yorkshire after receiving investment from private equity provider LDC in December 2011.
Call for green skills investment
YORKSHIRE could miss out on thousands of jobs if industry does not invest in green energy skills, according to a Government adviser.
UK Coal considers major mine closure
UK COAL is considering plans to shut the biggest coal mine in the country as part of a wider restructuring of the group.
Call to support new technical college
BUSINESSES from across the Sheffield City Region have been urged to throw their weight behind the region’s new University Technical College and end the snobbery that has set back technical studies for over a century.
SIG 'leaner and stronger' in 2012
INSULATION and building products distributor SIG has posted pre-tax profits of £7.5m after selling a series of businesses.
Redundancies at Forgemasters
SHEFFIELD Forgemasters International is to make about 30 redundancies as it looks to streamline operations and combat "recessionary pressures".
Conferences boost for South Yorkshire
THE Sheffield City Region is looking forward to welcoming events generating more than £2m in revenue this year.
DavyMarkham on show
MORE than 30 business leaders from Yorkshire and Humber have toured the Prince of Wales Road plant of heavy engineer DavyMarkham.
Minister visits Forgemasters
SHEFFIELD Forgemasters showcased its award-winning apprenticeship programme when it welcomed Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning John Hayes for a site visit.
Free ticket offer for Global Manufacturing Festival
Local companies are being offered a free ticket to the Global Manufacturing Festival if they bring a business from outside of the Sheffield City Region to the popular event.
MPs’ apprenticeships hearing in Sheffield
MEMBERS of the House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee visited Sheffield this week as part of an inquiry they are conducting into apprenticeships.
Penny Hydraulics winches up R&L Systems
PENNY Hydraulics has acquired winching equipment specialist R&L Systems for an undisclosed figure.
Quality assured for Rotherham company
ROTHERHAM-based Argyll Ruane Ltd has been upgraded from employer nominated provider to quality assured provider for the national skills academy for Nuclear.
Sheffield City Region launches Regional Growth Fund roadshows
ON MARCH 13 Sheffield City Region partners will launch a series of roadshows across the borough to capture interest from businesses with investment plans.
Commuters set for extra passenger capacity
YORKSHIRE passengers using London Midland and First TransPennine Express rail services are set to benefit from extra capacity and faster trains as a result of a £41m Government investment.
Machines boost MTL bottom line
NEW cutting machines secured with a £1m finance package have helped MTL Group up turnover and win an export contract.
AESPUMP expands service
AES Engineering Ltd is improving its service to UK customers.
Its AESPUMP Ltd division, a market leader in the management of pump assets for the process industries, has bought pump repairer and supplier Absolute Vacuum for an undisclosed sum.
Academy expansion
BRINSWORTH Academy of Engineering is looking for new premises in response to increasing demand for its cutting edge training services.
Rail hub needed to unlock £12bn economic benefits
YORKSHIRE could miss out on huge economic benefits unless the government funds Network Rail's £560m Northern Hub programme, according to a new study.
RGF cash there for small companies - Heseltine
LORD Heseltine has made it clear that there is a "lot of money available" from the Regional Growth Fund for small companies.
But the veteran Conservative, who is chairman of the fund's Independent Advisory Panel, admitted there have been complaints that companies are waiting too long to get any cash.
Jobs at Rolls-Royce AMP plant to play key nuclear role
ROLLS-Royce's planned factory development on the Advanced Manufacturing Park is to play a key role in making parts following a civil nuclear energy agreement between Great Britain and France. The move will create 600 jobs at the South Yorkshire plant and 600 more in the supply chain.
Gabbro picks up Midland Precision in £10m deal
SHEFFIELD-headquartered Gabbro Precision, the engineering services provider to the oil and gas industry, has acquired Midland Precision for £10m. The acquisition comes as Gabbro invests in its precision engineering division to support a pipeline of international growth.
Inflation fell in January
INFLATION fell for the fourth month in a row in January, new figures show.
The CPI inflation rate fell to 3.6%, down from 4.2% in December as the impact of last year's VAT rise dropped out of the year on year comparison.
Arnold Laver doubles profit as sales near £100m
ARNOLD Laver & Co has doubled pre-tax profits on sales which fell just short of £100m in a successful 2011 for the historic Yorkshire company.
The timber, leisure and property group said it had continued to grow turnover into 2012 despite a slump in business confidence delaying the spending plans of its customers.
Positive outlook despite underperformance at Maltby
HARGREAVES Services saw profits fall over its first half but said it was on track to meet full year expectations.
The supplier of solid fuels and bulk material logistics posted revenues up 27.1% to £322.8m for the six months ended November 30 2011 compared to the same period the previous year.
Nuclear opportunity for Sheffield City Region
South Yorkshire firms are being urged to seize the opportunity to dominate the UK civil nuclear supply sector.
Alan Cumming, who is commercial director for EDF Energy’s nuclear new build programme in the UK, says local industry will be in an even stronger position if it takes full advantage of having the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre on its doorstep.
Skills cash for Yorkshire cities
LEEDS and Sheffield will share £1m from a new Government fund targeted at the skills gap faced by businesses.
The money is designed to help councils and local enterprise partnerships work better with colleges and training providers to help target the needs of employers.
Minister admits "we must get school system right"
MINISTER for skills John Hayes has said it was crucial schools provided young people with employability skills as he hailed the apprenticeship programme at Sheffield Forgemasters International.
Apprentices ‘gap’ has to close
BUSINESS and education in Sheffield are being urged to join forces to close an apprentice training gap that is putting the city at a disadvantage to others in the UK.
£70m refinancing at Energy Alloys
ENERGY Alloys, a US oil field metals business which has its UK head office in Rotherham, has secured a £70m senior secured credit facility. The Sheffield office of Irwin Mitchell advised the company.
AES snaps up Absolute
LEADING South Yorkshire manufacturer AES Engineering is expanding its pump supply and repair business after buying Sussex-based Absolute Vacuum for an undisclosed sum.
Christopher Jewitt takes UK hallmarking role
YORKSHIREMAN Christopher Jewitt, former chairman of the 238-year-old Sheffield Assay Office, has been appointed to the organisation’s governing body.
DavyMarkham sales director to address international conference
SHEFFIELD heavy engineers DavyMarkham will be showcasing its Latin American success story to business leaders at an internationally renowned networking event.
Festival attracts Boeing chief
BOEING UK president Sir Roger Bone will be among the guest speakers at this year's Global Manufacturing Festival.
Forgemasters in business review
SHEFFIELD Forgemasters International has launched a review of its business to counter underperforming areas.
Knowing the drill with reality show
RESEARCHERS at South Yorkshire’s Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (NAMRC) are gearing up to install a unique machine that can bore holes up to eight metres deep by using advanced virtual reality simulation.
New drive for apprenticeships
SHEFFIELD College is marking National Apprenticeship Week by launching a new campaign to encourage more employers to hire or recruit more apprentices.
The campaign aims to increase the total number of apprentices studying at the college at any one time from 856 to 1,000.
Oil exploration helps Pressure Technologies
PRESSURE Technologies expects the performance of its largest trading division to beat market forecasts.
Meadowhall reportedly ‘up for sale’
Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield is to be put on the market, according to reports, after one its owners appointed sale advisers.
Back to black for NG Bailey
NG BAILEY is set for a return to the black as the family-owned business begins to see the effects of a strategic review.
CEO David Hurcomb (pictured) said he was pleased with progress at the business since he was appointed chief executive in September 2010 but that there was still much work to do.
Business should have confidence in HS2 – Minister
TRANSPORT Minister Norman Baker has pledged the Coalition will do all it can to make the promise of a new high speed rail line serving Yorkshire irreversible.
The Government this week gave the go-ahead to HS2, a new rail line linking London to Birmingham before splitting into a Y serving Leeds and Manchester.
Inflation falls
THE fall in the headline rate of inflation accelerated in December dropping to 4.2%.
The decline in the consumer prices index from 4.8% is the biggest monthly drop since it hit a three year peak in September last year of 5.2%.
Tributes for former Chamber president
TRIBUTES have been paid following the death of former Sheffield Chamber of Commerce president Mike Smalley.
Mr Smalley was managing director of Holbrook Business Systems and a former chairman of the Sheffield Enterprise Agency.
Carbon capture scheme pushes ahead
BNP Paribas is to develop financial plans for the Don Valley Power Project as 2Co Energy looks to start construction next year.
It is estimated the carbon capture and storage project will cost £3bn onshore and £1bn offshore to construct with around £150m (Euros 180m) in EU funding already in place and the European Investment Bank considering offering further support.
SIG expecting top end profits
SPECIALIST insulation and building products business SIG today said it expects underlying 2011 profits to be ahead of analysts' expectations.
The Sheffield-based business said group sales from continuing operations were £2.7bn in the year to December 31, an increase of 7% on the previous year.
Cook expects sales boost after "all-time low"
SALES at William Cook Holdings are set to return to the £60m mark after a year spent recovering from an "all-time low", according to Andrew Cook, chairman of the family-owned steel castings business.
Chairman appointed at historic office
HISTORIC institution, the Sheffield Assay Office, has appointed a new chairman.
Chris Heaton, who co-opted onto the executive of the Sheffield Assay Office in 2008, has taken up the role having been a guardian of the 238-year-old organisation since 2009.
Deadline nears for Made in Sheffield nominations
JUST five weeks remain for entries for the Made in Sheffield Awards which celebrate excellence in manufacturing in the Sheffield city region.
EEF looks at manufacturing in the year ahead
TERRY Scuoler, chief executive of manufacturers' organisation EEF, gives his view on the sector while looking to the year ahead:
'Tough' climate for business in Sheffield City Region
BUSINESS conditions continue to remain extremely tough across the Sheffield City Region, according to an influential survey.
Recession 'not foregone conclusion'
THE UK economy is set to stagnate in the first quarter of the year but a "new recession is not a foregone conclusion", a business lobby group has said.
City celebrates leading ladies
A CELEBRATION event is being held to mark the fact five of the most significant posts in South Yorkshire are currently held by women - for the first time ever.
HS2 ruling praised but Northern Hub must be next
BUSINESS leaders have praised transport secretary Justine Greening's plan to green light the first phase of the High Speed 2 (HS2) project. But they say it should not be at the expense of other transport projects such as the Northern Hub, which Insider is backing.
CBE for Ridgway in New Year Honours
PROFESSOR Keith Ridgway added to his OBE in the New Year Honours after being awarded a CBE for services to manufacturing research.
Margin squeeze hits Sheffield Forgemasters
SHEFFIELD Forgemasters has seen annual operating profit slide by more than two-thirds after its margins were squeezed across its markets.
'Difficult year ahead' for region's manufacturers
YORKSHIRE manufacturers face a "very difficult year" because of a lack of capital and ongoing issues in key economies and markets, an accountancy firm has predicted.
More needed for South Yorks to succeed - LEP boss
THE chairman of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership has told Insider what needs to be done to rebalance the economy if the region is to thrive in 2012.
Portland Works campaign continues
INVESTMENT to save an historic Sheffield landmark is being sought.
Shock toll of economy on standard of living for workers, figures show
DRIVING instructors, chartered surveyors and travel agents are among the workers whose living standards have dropped by more than a quarter since the recession began, according to new figures.
Investment to drive efficiency at Forgemasters
SHEFFIELD Forgemasters has invested £500,000 in a bid to increase efficiency and space at its Brightside Lane base.
DavyMarkham apprentice achieves industry accolade
THE achievements of a budding young South Yorkshire engineer have been honoured at a prestigious national awards ceremony.
Dormer expanding international operation
DORMER Tools International (DTI) has announced an expansion in its global operations with a strong emphasis on securing large export orders.
EEF launches National Conference on global competitiveness
SENIOR business leaders and politicians will gather at the EEF National Manufacturing Conference and Manufacturers’ dinner on Tuesday, March 6, 2012 to explore global competitiveness and urge government to use its spring Budget to spur industrial-led growth.
EEF on Banking Reform statement
COMMENTING on the Government’s statement on Bank reform, Terry Scuoler, Chief Executive of EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation said:
“This is a welcome acceptance from government of the need to improve banking competition. Currently, companies often see little difference between products and pricing from the main banks and spend time and money having to unpick multiple options if they want to switch.
Investment to drive efficiency at Forgemasters
SHEFFIELD Forgemasters has invested £500,000 in a bid to increase efficiency and space at its Brightside Lane base.
Payments slowdown increasing export risks - report
MORE than a fifth of Yorkshire businesses believe that not being paid for goods and services is the biggest risk when exporting, new research has found.
Energy partnership for TATA
TATA Steel has teamed up with marine engineering and energy organisation Team Humber Marine Alliance as they both target the UK’s growing offshore wind turbine market.
Transport scheme 'key to growth'
SUPPORTERS of a project to improve transport in South Yorkshire claim it could generate benefits to business worth £100m.
Carbolite relocates to the AMP
CARBOLITE, a manufacturer of electric laboratory and industrial ovens, has agreed a deal to relocate to Evolution @ the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham.
Forgemasters completes nuclear work
Sheffield Forgemasters International has revealed it has completed work on components for South Korea's civil nuclear power programme.
Sheffield Forgemasters to expand nuclear status
SHEFFIELD Forgemasters is to upgrade its ASME civil nuclear accreditation to capitalise on growing market opportunities.
Inflation falls below five per cent
THE headline inflation rate continued to fall away in November hitting 4.8%.
The decline in the annual CPI rate continues the trend seen last month when inflation fell from 5.2% to 5%.
Made in Sheffield goes online
THE Made in Sheffield website and digital communications strategy has been launched.
Festival MADE entrepreneur invest in Sheffield
ENTREPRENEUR Luke Johnson has invested in Sheffield after attending MADE: The Entrepreneur Festival as one of the keynote speakers.
No train, no gain - Insider round table
YORKSHIRE companies face a "skills crisis" in the next decade, with a lack of people with the right skills to meet industry's demands, according to business leaders speaking at an Insider round table.
Kraft pumps £6m into Sheffield
KRAFT Foods has revealed it is to invest £6m into its Sheffield plant as it looks to bake its Oreo and BelVita biscuits in the UK for the first time.
LEP inward investment appointment
THE Sheffield City Region is to employ its own inward investment director to convince companies to locate in South Yorkshire.
PJO bought by Mechan Controls
ROTHERHAM-based testing company PJO Group has been acquired by safety switch manufacturer Mechan Controls.
Pressure on takeover trail
SHEFFIELD-based seamless steel cylinder manufacturer Pressure Technologies is "exploring further acquisition opportunities" despite posting a fall in pre-tax profit.
Flying the Flag for UK Manufacturing: AESSEAL Named
Rotherham based AESSEAL continue to defy the notion that British manufacturing is dead, stealing the show at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ annual Manufacturing Excellence awards by being named the overall winner and also receiving the Customer Focus award.
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